Work days and work loads certainly look a little different than they did a few months ago. But one thing has not changed…

"The show must go on" is a phrase in show business that means: Regardless of whatever happens, the show still has to be staged and performed for waiting patrons.

No doubt, the show still goes on at CHS! Here are some reports of the activity happening in some of our programs:

From Sue Williams, SFCH Program Director
Here we are, nearly two months into a pandemic. A pandemic? Webster tells us a pandemic is an outbreak of a disease that affects a high proportion of the population. Well, how might adults explain that to children? Children’s Home Society Staff have used pictures, workbooks, stories, art, and conversations to help CHS kids understand and, most importantly, to reduce their worries. With the necessary quarantining of CHS kids, family visits have been over WebEx and Zoom, which is quite different than in-person visits. Thus far, parents have been gracious about not coming to campus and this cooperation has, clearly, helped their children cope. CHS Staff have prevailed during this tough time. They’re giving kids tender care and extending compassion when kids act out their stress. Treatment Counselors arrive at work ready to spend quality time with kids and I’ve seen them engage in: bike riding, chalking, water play, baseball, baking, creating art pieces, unit clean-up, constructing lego creations, and the list goes on. Therapists have been diligent in keeping kids connected to their families and helping them manage strong feelings when they miss their parents and siblings. Overnight counselors ensure sleepy kids are tended to when falling asleep doesn’t come easily, or scary dreams interrupt their sleep. Medical needs have been addressed; little and big aches and pains have been resolved! Meals, snacks, safety and sanitation have continued to nourish and protect. Life moves forward and treatment doesn’t stop. Are there obstacles that we’ve grown tired of facing? Yes. Are we weary from the daily restrictions on our personal and professional lives? Absolutely. Yet, CHS Staff (across the agency) are doing their best and extending grace to kids…and to one another. We’re together. We’re tenacious. We’re making it.

From Freddy Maseman, BHCH Program Director
The Black Hills Children’s Home campus is learning to adjust through all of the changes. One thing is very evident, we are better together when going through these times. We received 23 nominations for employee of the month in April and 18 of them were for people who stepped up to cover shifts and support one another. In this time when we have had a lot of conversations about coverage and who could be available there have been many who have stepped up to that call.

The other nominations were for hard work and helping with medical needs. Like other programs there have been added responsibilities for cleaning and disinfecting surfaces. We have many people doing a little more so it doesn’t all fall on a few. This is one more example of how we are better together.

This is one section from our farewell ceremony when children are discharged, “we have laughed with you and cried with you, we have struggled with you, as you have struggled with us. Out of these struggles, we have seen many new changes emerge in you. With these changes, we hope for a happier and healthier life for you”.

This is what it can look like for all of us, “we have laughed together and cried together, we have struggled together, as the struggles increased. Out of these struggles, we have seen many new changes emerge in Children's Home Society. With these changes, we hope for a happier and healthier Children's Home Society.

From Loni Anderson, Secretary at Black Hills Community Based Services
Through all of the Pandemic rufflings, we have continued to receive calls with donations and for volunteers to make much-needed quilts and masks. We were also able to celebrate an adoption with a family that followed through, even during the pandemic! The Child Advocacy Center has continued to stay open and provide service to children who have experienced trauma, while taking precautions and measures to keep everyone safe. Although West River has been light with cases, it has been so uplifting to hear of all the support of the community to provide much-needed meals for children, as well as for many other areas of need. The care and concern by so many people is so inspiring during these uncertain times .

From Amy Carter, Operations Director at Children’s Inn
We typically do Healthy Dating talks at middle schools in the fall and spring. Because of COVID, we didn’t get to do that this spring. So we put together an e-learning lesson with the material we would have covered, along with some worksheets and video links. These lessons were sent to our contacts at each school. We invited them to use these materials if it would be helpful or fit with the online curriculum they are using with kids until the end of the school year. We’re not sure if they’ll use it, but it felt good to be able to offer it and provide the information to them that we usually do.

Kids staying at Children’s Inn are enjoying our new unicorn sprinkler. Staff wanted to make her feel at home, so we gave her a mask and welcomed her to the team!

From Kathy Schneider, Nurse Supervisor at Bright Start
Bright Start Staff continues to serve pregnant and new moms who are some of our most vulnerable population in terms of economic hardship. Our nurses and our Bright Start therapist have been nothing short of amazing as they connect with our moms and continue to enroll new clients, all the while working remotely from their homes. CHS has some amazing and tenacious employees and caregivers!

From Kari Clark, Secretary at SFCH Loving School
It means so much to work at a place like Children’s Home Society where the staff care for children unconditionally. At Loving School, the staff are always looking for ways to teach the students. For example, our residential students are still receiving face-to-face instruction while the staff help the children adapt to new ways of doing things because of the pandemic. Our day students are not with us right now, but the teachers continue to maintain consistent communication with the children through email and mailings. We captured a greeting from the school staff to send to our Day Students (see Pandemic Prop Up story). It truly shows how much they care.

From Ondrea Patzlaff, Program Director of SF Community Based Services (This was submitted before news of PRIDE contract changes.)
PRIDE staff have been working remotely. “Home visits” are virtual for now. WebEx and Zoom meetings are common place occurrences. PRIDE classes can be accessed online and we’re learning as we go about providing virtual in-person class time. We’re being creative with setting up large group meetings with time for Q&As.

Paperwork usually hand-delivered and reviewed in person is being mailed out. Staff “meet” with families to go over forms and documents to keep the process running smoothly. Fingerprints are currently the only thing “on hold” since we cannot meet in person and there is nowhere else to get them done with DSS offices closed and law enforcement offices have limited access.

We have been able to finish home studies with families we had previously met in their homes. For new families, we’re working with the State to see if/how we could license families and have placing workers finish in-home checklists.

With DSS offices closed through May, our PRIDE team meetings are virtual, as well. They’ve been a great support in helping us continue to sort through challenges together, and to find creative ways to continue to train and license families.

The need for homes has not decreased and so far (thankfully!) the virus doesn’t seem to have curbed people’s desire to provide foster care. We’re lucky we’ve been able to adapt so quickly to continue to meet the demand for homes and keep interested families working through the process.